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Augusta BZA approves 8-foot rear privacy fence at 2917 Bransford Road with flood-related conditions
Summary
The Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance allowing an 8-foot wood privacy fence at 2917 Bransford Road, conditioned on compliance with flood-damage rules and limiting the 8-foot height to the rear plane of the house with a taper to 6 feet toward the front.
The Augusta Board of Zoning Appeals on May 21 approved a variance to allow an 8-foot wood privacy fence along rear and side lot lines at 2917 Bransford Road in the Forest Hills neighborhood, despite a zoning limit of 6 feet.
The variance — which would raise the permitted fence height by roughly 33% over the 6-foot limit — drew discussion about floodplain impacts and exactly how far forward the taller fence would extend. Kevin Boyd, development services manager, said about the submission: "This request is a continued item from last month's meeting…The applicant is seeking to install an 8 foot, wood privacy fence in the rear inside yards, where a maximum of 6 feet is allowed." Boyd also said staff found only a few local instances of fences taller than 6 feet and that about half of the tract is in the 100-year floodplain.
Applicant Wright McLeod told the board that the previous vegetation and fence were destroyed during a hurricane and that neighbors support the request. "There's actually nothing in the backyard now except for those 2 posts," McLeod said, and he argued the 6-foot limit did not provide privacy because "the house is much higher than the back of the yard."
Planning staff initially recommended denial because the petition did not meet the ordinance criteria; the staff memo also noted there were four letters in support and raised concerns about how solid wood fencing would affect flood flows. Boyd told the board that the flood damage prevention ordinance does not explicitly regulate fencing materials and that board members should consider flood-resistant or breakaway options used elsewhere.
After discussion about how the applicant had drawn the plan — specifically where the 8-foot section was highlighted — the board approved a motion to grant the variance with two staff conditions: that fencing materials comply with the flood damage prevention ordinance and that the 8-foot height be limited to the rear/back plane of the house as shown on the conceptual plan, stepping down or tapering to 6 feet to connect with the existing wrought-iron fence toward the front plane of the house.
The board recorded approval in a roll-call vote; multiple board members voted to approve and the motion carried. The staff will issue the letter documenting the board's action and conditions.
The decision allows the property owner to replace the hurricane-damaged barrier with a taller wood privacy fence at the rear of the lot, subject to the flood-materials/installation condition and the specified limit on where the 8-foot height may occur.
